By Kovedzayi Takawira
Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) has raised alarm over what it describes as a human rights and environmental crisis unfolding in Magunje, Mashonaland West, where a US$1 billion cement and mining project is underway.
In a statement released Tuesday, the civil society watchdog accused Labenmon Investments and its Chinese partner, West International Holding, of forcibly displacing villagers, polluting critical water sources, and violating labour laws under the guise of economic development.
The two companies are developing a large-scale industrial complex expected to produce 900,000 tonnes of cement and 1.8 million tonnes of clinker annually. The project, backed by a 100MW power plant, has been touted as a job creator that will employ up to 5,000 people.
CNRG says this promise is being overshadowed by “overwhelming evidence” of abuse.
“Families have been uprooted, ancestral graves desecrated, and farmlands destroyed without compensation or due process,” reads the statement.
“The government has shown extreme indifference, while villagers who resist displacement are being arrested and intimidated.”
According to the organisation, eight villagers from Kapere including a local headman were arrested for resisting eviction and continue to appear in court in Karoi despite the complainants’ absence.
The group also alleges its staff were threatened by armed Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) personnel while visiting a mining site in Kemapondo village.
Environmental concerns are also mounting, with the group claiming that Magunje Dam a lifeline for thousands is being polluted by effluent discharge from the cement plant.
Fires allegedly started during land-clearing exercises have ravaged gardens and crops, worsening food insecurity.
Labour conditions at the site have also come under fire, with CNRG citing reports of workers operating under unsafe conditions, being denied contracts, and receiving wages below agreed National Employment Council (NEC) rates. The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDMWU) is reportedly handling the matter through the Labour Court.
CNRG further claims that one of the country’s Vice Presidents endorsed the project in writing without consulting affected communities, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
The organisation demands that the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development immediately halt operations in Magunje and initiate an investigation into alleged irregularities surrounding the project. It is also calling for compensation for displaced families, an end to harassment of activists, and inclusive decision-making going forward.
“The communities of Chasara and Kapere are not opposing development,” CNRG emphasized.
“They are calling for development that respects their rights, heritage, and humanity.”
There has been no immediate response from Labenmon Investments, West International Holding, or government authorities regarding the allegations.
